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gfxCardStatus for Macbook Pro with Retina Display

I

ivanatheiguana

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 26, 2012
17
0
I have read that the gfxCardStatus app can help save battery life, especially with the NEW rMBP because of the NVIDIA GEFORCE GT graphics card.
ANYWAYS, I would just like some clarification on how would be the BEST way to set up preferences and the settings for the app as well as HOW to use/when to manually switch it from INTEGRATED ONLY to DISCRETE ONLY or to DYNAMIC SWITCHING. I want to get the most out of my Macbook Pro with Retina Display's battery life. All help and tips would be appreciated!

Link to app download site: http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus
 
ivanatheiguana said:
I have read that the gfxCardStatus app can help save battery life, especially with the NEW rMBP because of the NVIDIA GEFORCE GT graphics card.
ANYWAYS, I would just like some clarification on how would be the BEST way to set up preferences and the settings for the app as well as HOW to use/when to manually switch it from INTEGRATED ONLY to DISCRETE ONLY or to DYNAMIC SWITCHING. I want to get the most out of my Macbook Pro with Retina Display's battery life. All help and tips would be appreciated!

Link to app download site: http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus
Click to expand...

Actually the app with the rMBP's is very problematic for people. I would completely avoid it.
 
Well what apps are you using.

I run in OSX always with the Intel HD forced unless I have to use the dGPU for the external display. I never need the dGPU for anything in OSX, only for gaming in Windows.

I don't use Photoshop or something modeling CAD software.

Basically everything that doesn't require any heavy GPGPU capabilities (OpenGL/CL) you are fine with Intel.
It is enough for Office, browsing, flash, video, ...
The Video decoders are no worse than those of nvidia. Some people seem to think that video playback is still demanding for a GPU. They can do that with 400mA today in HD. It is nothing and the Intel GPU can accelerate two 1080p streams.

I would always force the Intel GPU if there is no obvious reason for the 650M like gaming, CAD,... on battery it runs longer, plugged in it is less noisy.
 
Halorl said:
Same here.

Why exactly should we avoid it?
Click to expand...

Sometimes if you reboot your computer you'll find you cannot log in or whatnot. Or rather you can log in, just the desktop never loads.

That's the issue I have anyways.
 
I have issues sometimes. Safari glitches. And so does my screen saver. I'm keeping it on there though. Really helps with battery life.
 
Lots of reports of people's machines getting stuck on a dgpu or igpu and not being able to switch.
 
I have been using it for 5 weeks (since the day I got the rMBP) without any issues.

I changed the preferences to "Integrated" on battery, and "Discrete" when plugged in. I don't use "Dynamic". It works perfectly. Pull out the Magsafe, and watch it change from Discrete to Integrated. Plug it back in and watch in change back.

No boot problems, no Safari problems, and I don't use a screen saver so I can't comment on that.

Having said that, I solved my main battery drain issue by installing the "Click-to-Flash" extension into Safari - having identified that flash was causing a lot of my battery drain.
 
I used GFX on my older MBP with no issues whatsoever. However it definitely caused issues on my MBP as described by others. Since uninstalling things have been much better.
 
I have had it installed since getting my RMBP after launch but I only really use it to see what program is using Discrete, when I think I have shut down the program! :)
 
Odd that people are having issues. I've been using gfxCardStatus since I got my laptop with only a very rare issue where the machine is unable to use the 650m at all - rebooting fixes this issue every time. I didn't think it was an issue caused by gfxCardStatus, though.

@OP, if you want better battery life then as far as graphics are concerned, just use your integrated GPU when on battery all the time. Simple as.
 
TinyTrung said:
Try closing the laptop and open again.
Click to expand...

whats supposed to happen? i've been using gfxstatus since i got my RMBP several weeks ago as well. no issues that i can see. just tried closing the laptop and opening and didn't notice anything weird.
 
stevelam said:
whats supposed to happen? i've been using gfxstatus since i got my RMBP several weeks ago as well. no issues that i can see. just tried closing the laptop and opening and didn't notice anything weird.
Click to expand...

I've also been using gfxCardStatus since I got my RMBP, no problems until one day I closed the lid and go have lunch. When I come back, open the lid, it freezes with a black screen. I thought that's a bug with ML or RMBP so I did some google search and someone mentioned gfxCardStatus as the cause. I tried quitting gfxCardStatus and then closing the lid and there's no problem with freezing. I don't know if it happens to all users but if you don't have that problem then you're lucky.

Read more:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1395927/
Click to expand...
 
TinyTrung said:
I've also been using gfxCardStatus since I got my RMBP, no problems until one day I closed the lid and go have lunch. When I come back, open the lid, it freezes with a black screen. I thought that's a bug with ML or RMBP so I did some google search and someone mentioned gfxCardStatus as the cause. I tried quitting gfxCardStatus and then closing the lid and there's no problem with freezing. I don't know if it happens to all users but if you don't have that problem then you're lucky.

Read more:
Click to expand...

strange. i never shut my RMBP down and i always just close the lid to put it to sleep. are you saying when you open the lid, all you see is a black screen and then you have to reset it? or is it just a black screened delay before the screen comes on?
 
stevelam said:
strange. i never shut my RMBP down and i always just close the lid to put it to sleep. are you saying when you open the lid, all you see is a black screen and then you have to reset it? or is it just a black screened delay before the screen comes on?
Click to expand...
Black screen then I have to force reset it. It just freezes completely.
Update: No more freezing after updating to 10.8.1
 
Last edited:
Orlandoech.com said:
Actually the app with the rMBP's is very problematic for people. I would completely avoid it.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty blanket statement, considering I've personally spoken to several hundred people who would say otherwise.

What kind of issues are you talking about? I'm aware of the power source-based switching problems, which are fixed in v2.3 (coming out soon). And by fixed I mean that power source-based switching has been removed outright, since it does nothing but cause problems and hasn't worked properly since day one.
 
Queen6 said:
Installed no problems with Lion or Mountain Lion
Click to expand...

Likewise ! Been running smooth on my rMBP for almost a month now!

Settings:

On battery : integrated only
On power source : dynamic

OS version : 10.8.1

No black screen issues yet. Yes, I have closed and opened the lid :apple:
 
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